A new roundabout is coming to the intersection of Range Road 11 and Highway 566 in Balzac, south of Airdrie.
According to Alberta Transportation, construction work started April 12 to convert the existing four-way stop to a roundabout. A spokesperson for the ministry said the project aims to reduce congestion and improve the safe movement of goods and people north of Calgary.
“The roundabout [will be] a double-wide roundabout, with two lanes in and two lanes out,” said Mckenzie Kibler in an email from Alberta Transportation.
He added the project is estimated to cost $5.6 million and work is expected to complete by early September.
The roundabout includes a cost-sharing component between Alberta Transportation and Rocky View County, announced in 2019, with the Province taking on 75 per cent of the cost.
According to a report presented during a RVC council meeting in February 2020, “increased traffic from the growth in nearby commercial areas and residential neighbourhoods has reduced the performance of the intersection.” Approximately 12,000 vehicles crossed the intersection each day when that report was drafted, with traffic peaking during the morning and afternoon.
In a Facebook post April 9, the City of Airdrie stated the construction will cause delays on 8 Street for the next several months, and recommended motorists travel south via Highway 2 instead.
Kibler said the construction project will create 33 jobs as part of Alberta's economic recovery plan. The project is a part of the Alberta government's $2 billion job creation plan announced last year.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
